“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.” – Winnie the Pooh For me, the smallest things include: nature’s love notes… …fresh flowers… …and really gorgeous light. Not to mention sugar cookies, the tears that flow every single time I hear Whitney Houston’s performance of the national anthem, air conditioning, Peanuts…
Category: flowers
Bee Blossoms
The flower doesn’t dream of the bee… …it blossoms and the bee comes.
Sunday Blessing
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the greatest of these gifts — the love that has been given to you. May you be…
The Journey
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you — it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you…Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” –…
When I Grow Up
“We are constantly invited to be who we are.” – Henry David Thoreau This week I bumped into a woman at work whom I haven’t seen in several years. She is exactly as I remembered her: strong, elegant, dignified, confident, impeccable. I’ve always admired her. More accurately, I’ve always been awed by her. Everything about her…
Believe
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn Our local Botanical Garden has so much belief. And I will never stop returning for their tomorrows.
Best Medicine
“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.” – Luther Burbank, botanist
Commercial-free and Everyone Wins
Last weekend might have been Super Bowl Sunday, but it also marked the beginning of the Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show — which is my Super Bowl. Overall, orchids are thought to symbolize love, beauty, fertility, refinement, thoughtfulness and charm. But meaning can also be found in individual colors. Orange: Enthusiasm, boldness, and pride Purple:…
Don’t Mind If I Do
I mean, even my yogurt insists that I do it. (With or without yoplait’s permission) I always, always keep at least one fresh bouquet of flowers somewhere in the house. Few things bring me so much joy for so little.
Love is an Action Word
Have you ever noticed how, every now and then, certain thoughts get planted in our minds and then the world around us seems to reinforce that thought? Personally, I like to think this happens because it’s a divine lesson or message. Lately I’ve had the phrase “love is an action word” pop into my head…
Little Miracle
“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein This morning, I found that my paper whites are in full bloom. I bought this as a bulb not too long ago for $3.99 at Trader Joe’s…
Big Birthday
“If I didn’t have you as my mom, I’d choose you as my friend.” Earlier this week, I got to spend a day with my mom to celebrate her birthday. Perfect weather, favorite foods and places, and the best company. Totally fitting for a big birthday. Here are a few photos from time spent at…
Seek and Be
“If you seek peace… be still. If you seek wisdom… …be silent. If you seek love… …be yourself.” – Becca Lee A lovely sentiment… …and a lovely morning in the Botanical Garden.
Finding Balance and Sense
“What’s the line between acknowledging the turmoil in the world and depriving yourself of joy? There’s a sweet spot somewhere that balances seeing harsh truths about our world, facing that with equanimity, trying to change it, and also being a joyful person. I’m trying to find that place because self-flagellation helps no one. I see…
Because…
…it’s Labor Day. There’s been a little bit of rest. Got a few runs in…and saw a few flowers along the way. Paid a few bills, did a little laundry, worked on my book, got pedis and coffee with friends. And watched a whole lotta US Open tennis. There’s just something about having no obligations and…
Wednesday Wisdom
“Magic happens when you do not give up, even though you want to. The universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart.”
Joy
“The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy.” – Henry Ward Beecher Pope Farm Conservancy in Wisconsin. My happy place.
Octavia
This was the most unusual cloud formation I’ve ever seen. (An “anvil” cloud, as a dear friend taught me.) I watched it billow and balloon as I made the drive to see something even more unusual. Meet Octavia. I first saw her on Friday night at the Botanical Garden during a visit with my oldest,…
Summer at the Garden
“‘Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about.” – John Mayer Trip to my favorite place with my favorite friends this weekend and just a few photos to share as a result. See the butterfly? Lovely desert exhibit going on.
Note to Self
“Note to self: No matter what, hang on to that part of you that gasps at a beautiful sunset or gets super excited about a new notebook or a freshly baked cupcake or a dog you just met on the street. Allow yourself to be regularly startled and humbled by joy.” – Nanea Hoffman, Sweatpants & Coffee Pretty sure there are…
A Good Look Around
“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” – Marc Riboud, French photographer Isn’t that the truth? I’ve been a visual and creative girl since day one, but never did I observe, absorb, and experience my surroundings the way I do now having picked up a camera. Seeing and thinking as a…
Distracted Runner
As I’ve described in earlier Distracted Runner posts, there’s a reason I’m a horribly slow runner. And it’s not just because of the way I’m built or my lack of talent (though none of that helps). Rather, it has everything to do with my attention span. Seriously, I ran five miles today and took photos…
hey there, friends 